Quick Reference

The following has been printed on re-used paper and posted all over the MV Elpis. Copies also have circulated throughout the rest of the Fleet.

I remember a story that people used to tell about the gods.

"A devout believer heard a news report on his wireless that there was a flood coming and said that residents had to evacuate the area where he lived. But he didn't leave because, as he told his fleeing friends, he had the Lords' protection.

"And then the waters started to come and a police boat came by and offered to help him. But he said he didn't need any evacuation because he had the Lords' protection.

"The waters continued to rise. The believer retreated to the roof of his house to escape the water. A rescue Raptor flew above his house and the pilot asked over the loud speaker if they could lift him off. But the man said, 'I don't need rescuing. I have the Lords' protection.'

"The water continued to rise and the man drowned and died. And when he got across the River Styx, he came face-to-face with Hades. He said to Hades, 'I have always believed in the Gods. Why didn't You answer my prayers for protection? Why didn't You give me a sign?' And Hades said to him, 'We sent you a wireless report. We sent you a police boat. We sent you a Raptor. What more sign did you need?'

The gods have sent us dreams of the Falls. They have sent us Ryan "Salt" Shaker, who could not turn on this Fleet. They have sent us Trevor Cairn "Queenie" McQueen, who loved the people of this Fleet as much as any human could. They have sent us Eleven, who sacrificed herself three times for the Fleet. They have sent us Allan Rejn, who scarified himself to battle Areion. They sent us Rudy Kepner, who taught us the fallacy and futility of mindless hate and revenge.

So I ask you, my brothers and sisters, what more sign do we need that it is not just a good idea, but the will of the gods themselves that we go to Lampridis Falls? Our story is one that has happened before and that is fated to happen again. We cannot resist it; we can only hope to leave our mark on it. We shouldn't turn our backs on our gods; we can't let ourselves drown. Let us heed the wireless report; get on the boat; get hoisted up onto the Raptor. Let us see the signs. For not just our sakes, but for the sakes of all of humanity.

The gods are not going to come to us in golden chariots or with brassy trumpets. They will come to us in smaller ways; in dreams; in people; in experience. They have come to us these ways and their message is clear. The only question is if we will heed it. I pray we will.